Under-Rated Adventure Games

I was getting my list together for the upcoming Recommendation List and I was thinking about how I look at the list results every year and think how many really good games never seem to garner very many votes. I was just wondering what games you think are deserving of more attention. Here are some of the games that I am surprised don't get mentioned more in our annual list.

Discworld 1&2 and Simon the Sorcerer 1&2. All these games were so funny and the puzzles were very challenging. I loved the animated inventory too.

Ankh
Legend of Kyrandia Fables and Fiends Book One
Gilbert Goodmate and the Mushroom of Phungoria
Fable
The Dig
Tony Tough and the Night of the Roasted moths
Kings Quest 7
Noctropolis

Any games out there that you think deserve a little more love?

I definitely agree with you regarding the first Kyrandia game, and especially, King's Quest 7. The latter is my second favorite of the series, after King's Quest 6. I haven't played any of the others on your list, so I can't comment on them, though I've been wanting to try The Dig, as it looks intriguing. I would definitely add Space Quest 6 to my personal list of underrated games, as I really enjoyed that one.

Also, I feel Gabriel Knight 3 deserves a lot more love. It is one of the most interesting, complex games I have ever played, and it is my second favorite Gabriel Knight game. Of course, I feel that all three GK games are outstanding.

Hi, Space...

For me I have played Gilbert Good mate & Tony Tough....These two games had way too much dialogue...So maybe that's why they weren;'t a hit with adventure gamers...

I did enjoy the game play..after clicking pass some of the silly dialogue....

I do dislike idle chatter..

I did play Simon 3D...I loved every minute of it....Some did not like the 3D version....But I had lots of fun with the game...

See, I'm the opposite. I actually enjoy dialogue based games. In fact, for me, the more the better.

I didn't care for most of the humor in those games, and Tony Tough had such a horrible whiny voice. After I finished Gilbert Goodmate, the developers did create a patch that reduced some of the dialogue (along with other fixes). However when I replayed it, I found they'd taken out the one funny bit of dialogue that was in the game and left in almost all of the tiresome one-liners.


I also enjoyed the humor in Simon 3D. My brother and I thought it was hilarious -- much funnier than Simon 4. However Simon 3D was prone to crashing and I didn't enjoy the arcade parts.

Hi Venus,
I think you would love The Dig. It is one of those games like Shivers and Kyrandia that really uses music to add to the game atmosphere.
Gabriel Knight 2 The Beast Within is still to this day my all time favorite game even though it is 14 years old. I really liked GK3 too but the blocky graphics and the fact that I found it very difficut keep me from putting it on my recommendation list every year. I must say GK3 had an excellent plot. In fact all the Gabriel Knight games had terrific plots.
Of course I have a soft spot for the Space Quest series. I don't list any of them on my list either because as individual games I'm not sure they are top twenty material but I love the overall humor and wicked puzzles that the games have.

Hi Darleen03,
It is funny about Simon 3D. Your experience is the complete oposite of mine. I loved the first two Simon games and I want the new chapters too but the 3D was a let down for me. Simon 3D and one of the later Indiana Jones games would make me dizzy when you scrolled in them. Different strokes for different folks I guess. I also enjoy the third person games the most but if you look at the recommendation list every year you see many first person games right at the top. The dialouge does not bother me that much but I do remember some people who didn't enjoy The Longest Journey because of the excessive dialouge.

Jenny100 even though I loved Tony Tough because of the great puzzles I am with you over needing the mute button for the voice of Tony.

Well, every year my Recommendation List is mainly composed of "oldies" - because for me they are still terrific and (in my opinion) much better than a lot of the more modern games.

And they get plenty of love because I re-play them in turn all the time

[And several of those you mention are amongst my favourites ]

EDIT :
Got over enthralled and forgot to add "Flight of the Amazon Queen" as one that might need a little more love .... Only from other people though .... It gets plenty from me

I think these games are worthy of a mention

Maniac Mansion
Indy Jones Fate of Atlantis
Legend of Kyrandia Hand of Fate
Legend of Kyrandia Malcom's Revenge

Many of the games mentioned so far are older games which I just haven't played & although I've played quite a lot more than 2 or 3 that's the most I'll be including in my list. There are two reasons for this:

The first is that although there are many older games worthy of more attention in the List, the fact is that many of them are unobtainable and/or difficult to run on modern systems, so for me, what is the point of recommending a game you can't get and/or play?

The second is that as good as older games may have been there are many other worthwhile games that have been produced since which deserve attention too & are far more accessible! The old have to make room for the new!

I don't see the lack of votes for older games as an indication of them being underrated & 'unloved', just more of an embracement of more modern games which is the way I feel it should work to support publishers/developers in the here & now!

chrissie.

This begs a question as to the purpose of the list.

Is it to recommend games that a person feel are worthy ??

Or is it to only recommend games that are currently easily obtainable ??

As far as I recall, this point was raised and settled last year - when it became a subject for debate - and the Gameboomer ruling given was in favour of recommending games felt to be worthy despite their age or availability.

If this is going to be changed at all, it would be good to know before we all start compiling our personal recommendations.

Cheers.

Mad

The rules have not changed and will be published at the time it begins. Let's not ruin it again with the debate of what should or should not be included. Bottom line is, the rules are what the rules are. You may choose to participate or not. No one is forcing you one way or the other. Let's just have a good time please.

Ana

"The rules have not changed and will be published at the time it begins."

Thanks for the clarification, BrownEyedTigre

Hi Mad, as usual I've put myself across badly!

The 'agenda' for the list is nothing to do with me so you should go ahead & vote as you intended! I was only really stating my own personal opinions & reasons for what will be contained in my list - how other people vote is up to them! I wasn't trying to change the way that the List should be done!

I will be recommending games that I feel are worthy & I haven't discluded games because they are hard to get or play because apart from 1 I just don't know! I also just wanted to make the point that the reason that many older games that are considered worthy don't get so many votes is perhaps because many 'later' gamers just don't know about them or either can't get them and/or get them to play! Also there are many newer games worthy of mention & for many players maybe they win over older ones!

I forgot to add: Shivers 1 and 7th Guest.

chrissie I sure understand your stance of supporting the publishers in the here and now. It is important that we do that to support the companies that continue to produce adventure games.

I know in my own list I try to list the best adventure games that I have played and I wish that my list contained more newer games.

One last game that I also feel was a hiiden gem was The Riddle of Master Lu.

chrissie

I will make my list according to the rules, as I have always done

Hi Space Quest Fan, again I've been misinterpreted! I will not be voting for games just to support developers in the here and now. I too will be voting for the 'best' Adventures I have played and by that I mean the ones that I have enjoyed the most which might not necessarily be considered the best but they are to me!

I've played all of the Monkey Island games, The Discworld games, Grim Fandango & a few other 'golden oldies' & loved them all for their intricate & often amusing stories - needed for many older games due to the inferior graphical quality compared to today's games. But,there are a lot of more modern games that I prefer over them which have less intricate stories but interesting nontheless as simpler doesn't mean bad. That along with the advance in graphics that are easier to immerse in along with more streamlined & logical gameplay, I think, are an improvement over many older games. But that's just my opinion. I loved Ankh too but there are 20 other games that I love more!

It all comes down to the difference in the balance of elements between older & newer games & what your preferences are. Getting back to the original point of your thread & to reiterate, just because many old classics don't get so many votes doesn't mean that they are underrated or unloved, it just means that, as perhaps in my case, that a lot of the newer games are loved more!

Hi Mad, it was not my intention to suggest that you or anyone else should do any different - it does make for an interesting list & many games have caught my eye. If a site like GOG continue to make more older games available maybe my list will vary considerably next year - you never know!

Yes, I frequent GOG too !!
And I think we are off topic and will be getting our wrists slapped

I agree with those that suggested Shivers, 7th Guest, Flight of the Amazon Queen, and Riddle of Master Lu (truly a great game)! I would like to add The 11th Hour, Fahrenheit, and Missing. I know the last game does not suit most, and it was terribly difficult but as a game with a great story, interesting concept, and some fun puzzle, it would be given a second look.

Oh, and I want to add Voyage. It just doesn't seem to get much praise, but it was truly a well developed and great game!

Hi, Space Quest Fan,
Well, Space Quest 6 wouldn't necessarily be in my top twenty, but I do feel it is underrated. Space Quests 4 and 5 might be, however, depending on how I'm feeling at the time.

Hi Gandalf,
Since you mentioned Maniac Mansion, I wanted to add Zak McKracken as well. It is one of my favorite very early games. Of course, I loved Maniac Mansion as well. And I really enjoyed The Hand of Fate, mostly because of the protagonist, Zanthia.

As for the newer games, I personally enjoyed many of them enough to add them to my top twenty. (I think I probably have different tastes than many adventure gamers.) Culpa Innata, for example, is my favorite game. I loved the story in this game, and I can't wait for the sequel. My list will most likely contain a mix of older and newer games.

venus,

To this day Zak McKracken is one of my all time favorites. I loved the plot and all the wacky puzzles and if a game ever screamed to be redone with todays graphic standards Zak would be it.

I REALLY REALLY appreciate the recommendation to the oldies but goodies, because ,
it is in honor of the GAMEBOOMERS SITE, that I have played, wonderful games I have never played, Shivers 1 and 2,
Gabriel Knight 2 and 3, and now
with the help of dos box, am playing Pandora Directive
I love this site, for making my game playing so much more...

as for the ones that have not gottem much of a recommendations that were deserved... HMMMMmmmmm
Shivers 1 and 2,
and I would have to say, GK 3 was really good, once I got over the disappointment of the graphics, the story and people in it, to me, made it well worth it...
I wish there was more of those GK games, not many games, leave
me feeling, as I am a part of it, and still sense the people and
story, I loved those games, especially GK 2
thanks to the people who continue putting the oldies on the List :),
Marcia

I agree that both Shivers 2 and the Kyrandia games are some of the under-rated adventure games out there.

There's probably more, though...

Space Quest Fan, I agree! I would love to see an updated Zak McKracken. It would be nice with more character interaction as well, but even just a graphical update would be great.

Don't tell me you would change the "tinny" sound too ??

That would ruin it !!

Good point; I didn't think of that.

Well, perhaps it could similar to the current Monkey Island remake, making it possible to switch between the new version and classic mode. That way, you could experience the game in all its tinny glory any time you wanted.

Wow !! That would be great, venus

There are so many really, really good old games that could be wonderful if resurrected in that way